Deptford Township holds old-fashioned neighborhood barbecues, bringing residents and local government together

DEPTFORD TWP. — Each weekend this summer, hundreds of residents have joined the mayor and council for neighborhood barbecues, sharing hamburgers, music and their questions and concerns.

“This is the second year we’ve done this, and we timed them to begin when the kids got out of school,” said Mayor Paul Medany of the township’s neighborhood barbecues. “We used to have our big End of Summer Blast, which cost anywhere from $25,000 to $30,000 and used to draw a lot of people from outside of Deptford. So, we decided to cancel that event and came up with the idea of getting out in the neighborhoods and meeting people. We started with three barbecues last year to see what people thought, and this summer we’ll have a total of nine with an average attendance of 300 at each one.”

Medany said the barbecues are community outreach events which allow residents to meet their mayor and council as well as neighbors they’ve never interacted with before.

“There are some people who can’t get out to council meetings, so we thought let’s meet them in an informal social setting where we can get to know them and they can voice their concerns,” said Medany. “We have hot dogs, hamburgers and root beer, a DJ and a moon bounce and slide for the kids. I go to every event and council members attend every one they can. Usually each of the council members is at each barbecue at one point during the day.”

Medany said since the community outreach barbecues are social events, mayor and council may not discuss township business amongst themselves. Instead, they focus on interacting with the residents.

“It’s just getting to know your neighbors, sitting down and breaking bread with them,” said Councilman Joe Scott. “It’s also a good time for a public servant to go out there, and I like it especially because I’m a talker. I like going table to table, asking people how the food is, if they’re enjoying themselves and if there’s anything I should know. You get to meet the people you’re representing from all different neighborhoods and see different aspects of the community.”

Scott said he thinks the residents enjoy the barbecues, especially since block parties and picnics aren’t as common as they once were.

“So far I haven’t heard anything bad,” said Scott. “We had one resident come to a meeting and question it, but then I asked if he’d ever been to one and he said no. So I told him to come on out. We cross our t’s and dot our i’s and I think we’re pretty open, but you have to expect that. So far, though, I really enjoy it. It’s like being at a party in your own backyard.”

The food, which is provided by Outback Steakhouse in Deptford, as well as the rented tents and township employees who help set up and clean up the events are paid for out of the township’s recreational trust/other fund.

“We have several trust/other funds set up for various reasons years ago,” said Medany. “Mostly developers and people who built stores here contributed to them. Often, when a developer comes in to town, they say they want to do something for the community. So, many times, they put money into an account like this which is then used — at council’s discretion — for community events.”

Medany said each barbecue costs about $3,000 to $3,500. The trust/other fund — built up over years of a booming economy and new developments in the township — pays for whatever is needed.

“When a lot of new businesses were opening up in town, the fund worked itself into nice numbers as new developers came in.” said Medany. “Sometimes they want to donate a sign or something like that, but if they don’t have an idea in mind, our professionals tell them about this account. We’ve done very well with donations over the years.”

Medany said some things are paid for out of the trust, while others are donated. Money must be used for the food, tents and necessary employees, but the grills, tables and chairs have been donated.

“We try to keep the cost down,” said Medany. “And we absolutely plan on continuing the barbecues next year because they’ve been a big success. People meet us as well as volunteer firefighters, who usually bring the truck for the kids, and some of the police who come out for their training hours. It’s an old-fashioned concept, most town governments aren’t getting out into the neighborhoods anymore, and the residents seem to enjoy it.”

Upcoming barbecues will be held at Heritage at Locust Grove this Saturday at the clubhouse on Juneberry Way; Blackwood Terrace on Aug. 6 at the Blackwood Terrace Fire Department; Oak Valley on Aug. 13 between Oak Valley Little League and Oak Valley Fire Department; Westville Grove on Aug. 20 at the Westville Grove VFW and Locust Grove on Aug. 27 at the Community Center on Locust Grove Blvd. All events are from noon to 3 p.m.